The prolonged inflammatory response to an implant is one of the primary causes for the failure to integrate implanted devices into tissue. The source of inflammation common to almost all implants is the foreign body response. Based on evidence in the literature and from our research team, the inflammatory response is mediated by the reactive oxygen species generated by macrophages, leukocytes, and the surrounding connective tissue. Based on our published findings, it is evident that titanium dioxide, even when present as surface coatings of polymeric biomaterials, has the ability to breakdown reactive oxygen species that have been identified as mediators of the inflammatory response. One device where the inflammatory response dramatically limits its clinical usefulness is the implanted glucose sensor. Here, there is a progressive loss of sensitivity caused by non-vascular fibrous tissue encapsulation. We propose to modify three different types of membranes used for implantable glucose sensors, by micropatterning coatings of titanium dioxide.
| Sahlin, Herman; Contreras, Ramiro; Gaskill, Daniel F et al. (2006) Anti-inflammatory properties of micropatterned titanium coatings. J Biomed Mater Res A 77:43-9 |
